Friday, March 3, 2017

MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS JEFFREY D. FRIEDLANDER TO THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BOARD

Mayor Bill de Blasio today appointed Jeffrey D. Friedlander to the Conflicts of Interest Board. Friedlander brings a wealth of experience in the corporate, government and legal fields and is active in professional and community service.

Friedlander was confirmed by the City Council and will serve the remainder of a six-year term starting April 1.

This position requires not only exceptional knowledge and experience of the law, but also the highest regard for ethics and governance, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. Jeff is an excellent leader and has made great strides in each of his previous positions. He is committed to upholding the highest standards of the law.

"At a time when public confidence in our institutions is eroding, it is so important that government officials act in conformance with the highest ethical standards. The COIB plays a vital role in achieving this end, and I am honored that the Mayor and City Council have given me the opportunity to contribute to its important work," said Jeffrey D. Friedlander.

About Jeffrey D. Friedlander

Jeffrey D. Friedlander has served New York City as one of its top and longest-serving municipal attorneys, having worked alongside 13 corporation counsels and under seven mayors.

Friedlander joined the Law Department as a member of its Honors Program in 1970 and in 1995 became the City's First Assistant Corporation Counsel, second-in-command of the New York City Law Department.

As the First Assistant Corporation Counsel, Mr. Friedlander was responsible for the office's corporate side, which includes key divisions like Economic Development, Contracts and Real Estate, and Municipal Finance. Mr. Friedlander also oversaw Affirmative Litigation, Environmental Law and Legal Counsel, the latter of which provides legal advice to City Hall and all City agencies and prepares the City's legislative proposals. He served as the City's Acting Corporation Counsel from 1997 to 1998 and then again in January of 2014. Subsequent to his retirement from the Law Department in 2015, he served as counsel to the Quadrennial Commission for the Review of Compensation of Elected Officials.

Friedlander is the President of the Board of Directors of the Heart and Soul Charitable Fund, Inc., which funds charitable activities in Manhattan that include meal programs for those in need as well as a number of youth programs. Additionally, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Youth Services Opportunity Project, a non-profit corporation that provides opportunities for high school and college students to serve the homeless community. He is also a member of the Hunter College Pre-Law Advisory Board.

A lifelong New Yorker, Friedlander obtained his B.A. from Hunter College in 1967 and his J.D. from New York University Law School in 1970.

About the Conflict of Interest Board

The Conflicts of Interest Board is the independent New York City agency tasked with administering, enforcing and interpreting Chapter 68 of the New York City Charter, the City's Conflicts of Interest Law, and Section 12-110 of the Administrative Code, the City's Annual Disclosure Law. Through a combination of engaging training, confidential advice, and vigorous enforcement, the Board seeks to prevent ethics questions from becoming ethics problems for public servants.